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The Pope Walks Out....

The Holy Father desires for peaceful dialogue...not inflammatory speeches which will diminsh the possiblities of a peaceful resolve between the Nations involved!

May 11, 2009 20:49 | Updated May 12, 2009 7:36

Sheikh Tamimi attacks Israel, pope walks out

A leading Palestinian cleric commandeered an evening devoted to interfaith dialogue with Pope Benedict XVI on Monday to rant against Israel for "killing Gaza's children," "bulldozing Palestinian homes" and "destroying mosques."

In an impromptu speech, delivered in Arabic at the Notre Dame Pontifical Institute in Jerusalem, Sheikh Tayseer Tamimi, chief Islamic judge in the Palestinian Authority, launched a 10-minute tirade against the State of Israel for confiscating Palestinians' land and carrying out war crimes against the residents of Gaza.

He also called for the immediate return of all Palestinian refugees, and called on Christians and Muslims to unite against Israel.

Tamimi invoked the name of Saladin, the Muslim sultan who recaptured Jerusalem from the Crusaders in 1187. Tamimi said that unlike Israel, Saladin upheld the religious freedoms of all faiths.

Following the diatribe and before the meeting was officially over, the pope exited the premises. However, he shook Tamimi's hand before walking out.

The pope, speaking before Tamimi, discussed the importance of religion and truth for the advancement of humanity's mutual understanding.

He was visibly uncomfortable with the tone of Tamimi's discourse. Even those who did not understand his Arabic quickly understood that the Muslim cleric was giving a militant speech.

Several attempts were made by Latin Patriarch in the Holy Land Fouad Twal, a Palestinian, to politely stop Tamimi. But Tamimi would not be deterred from reading his written speech, apparently prepared in advance without the knowledge of the organizers.

When Tamimi finished, applause could be heard from a few dozen in an audience of a few hundred.

Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See Press Office, responded to Tamimi's tirade by e-mail.

"The intervention of Sheikh Tayseer Tamimi was not previewed by the organizers of the interreligious meeting that took place at Notre Dame Center in Jerusalem.

"In a meeting dedicated for dialogue this intervention was a direct negation of what dialogue should be. We hope that such incident will not damage the mission of the Holy Father aiming at promoting peace and interreligious dialogue as he has clearly affirmed in many occasions in this pilgrimage.

"We hope also that interreligious dialogue in the Holy Land will not be damaged by this incident," Lombardi said.

Haifa Chief Rabbi Shear Yashuv Cohen, the only Jewish representative on the stage with the pope, attacked Tamimi afterwards for "cynically exploiting the media opportunity to incite and disparage the State of Israel."

Cohen, who is also the cochairman of a joint Chief Rabbinate-Holy See interreligious committee, said he would refuse to meet with Tamimi again.

Oded Weiner, director-general of the Chief Rabbinate, called Tamimi's comments "scandalous" and said the Rabbinate was cutting off all ties with him.

"This unplanned speech embarrassed and was disrespectful toward our honored guest, the pope," Weiner said immediately after the speech.

"While the pope comes on a mission of peace and brotherhood, Sheikh Tamimi comes with a message of war," Weiner said.

The Foreign Ministry and Tourism Ministry released a joint statement saying it was "very unfortunate" that the sheikh took advantage of the event to "wildly incite against Israel."

The statement said that Israel condemned the comments, and that instead of furthering peace and dialogue, the sheikh chose to "sow division and hatred between Israel and the Palestinians, and Jews, Moslems and Christians."

Tamimi staged an identical verbal attack against Israel during Pope John Paul II's visit in March 2000.

Then, Tamimi called on "the occupier" to stop "strangling Jerusalem and oppressing its residents."

Citing land confiscations, house demolitions, settlements and the Baruch Goldstein massacre in Hebron in 1994, Tamimi said Israel had a long record of "genocide" and "shooting and wounding Palestinian children."

"The establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Yasser Arafat as its president and Jerusalem as its capital - this will stop the strife between the religions," Tamimi said at the time.

He also refused to shake the hand of then-chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau.

Rev. Dr. Trond Bakkevig of the Council of Religious Institutions of the Holy Land, the interfaith body that works with Tamimi, said he was "terribly sorry" about Tamimi's speech. But he hoped that it would not shed a negative light on the entire evening.

"It is important that the whole evening is not just Tamimi's speech," said Bakkevig, who represented the (Lutheran) Church of Norway

Negetive consequences? Like the millions of Jews faced? That kind of negetive consequence? I'm just checking because my family was held captive, burried alive in ditch then shot at multiple times with riffles because they stayed true to their faith and their beliefs. I have no pity.

My dad was Barmitzva'd and my mom was Confirmed. I am not partial but wrong is wrong.

Sounds like your family went thru what the Palestinians are also going thru right now...... The Palestinians as well are resigned to their fate of occupation and oppression while staying "true to their faith and beliefs".

Full circle moment.

I agree wrong is wrong - when it comes to genocide there can be NO excuses.

I completely agree with TaiyoandMe because wrong is just plain wrong. You can sit there and spit all you want about olbligation and consequences, but what would you do. You are so holy now? And have such a deep love for your god, would you have been under Hitler and killed innocent people because of what they believed in?

Does God say this is ok???? Because I thought MURDER was a sin...Guess a lot of us were wrong

You must also be PRETTY PISSED OFF AT ISRAEL then - murdering innocent people like they do on a daily basis.

You are right -- GOD WOULD NOT SAY THIS IS OK.. MURDER IS A SIN - WITH NO JUSTIFICATIONS!!

If the Pope sits through a speech like this, shakes hands with the man afterwards......It's being "Cordial".......

If the President does those things....... He's a disgrace who is showing that he approves of or is in the least willing to listen (God forbid) to someone of this calibur..........

Okay......... lol

I personally have no thoughts on the Pope. I have little respect for a man that was a member of Hitler's youth..... YEah Yeah I know.. He was "drafted:" He was "Forced" into it... lol

Really?? Hmmmm, now that issss interesting! Thank you~

You're making it sound as if it was some big secret. When he was cardinal Ratzinger openly wrote about that time in his life ( Milestones: Memoirs: 1927 - 1977) . What are you going to do when your own children are "drafted" and "forced" to serve in Obama's Youth Army?

Seriously everyone, i think he was just trying to be polite by not walking out in the middle of it. Clearly, he was uncomfortable with the whole speech. Still, he was polite enough to shake the guy's hand before he left. This is what any person with a good conscience would do.

Had this happened with the current US President and he shook his so-called ENEMY'S hand, there would be conservative-christians screaming to high HEAVEN!

Didn't it happen when President Obama shook Chavez's hand? Yeah...that's what I thought...Blonde seemed to be screaming the LOUDEST! Which is it blonde...can only the people YOU deem worthy be cordial to someone with differing views?

Obviously you chose to skip over some of my comments connie.....the meetings are no comparison! + the Pope is meeting w/ world leaders thru the guidance of the Holy Spirit & much prayer for the sake of peaceful resolve. Barack Obama met w/ world leaders w/ out showing any signs of disapproval or reprimand when they spewed their hatred about America. hmm.. I seriously wonder if he even prayed @ all prior to goin' overseas?! You meet w/ your enemies from a position of strength as the Pope did...NOT from a position of weakness filled w/ a litany of apologies for the Nation you are a leader of...very dangerous! Again no comparison between the Pope & Obama! Nite n' day~

quote~

Hugo Chavez & Daniel Ortega vehemently voiced a litany of hatred toward the United States of America.....I certainly did not see Barack Obama get up & walk out to show his sign of disgust & disapproval!To the contrary he remained & chatted smilingly w/ both Communists as if they were long lost friends, Della! And Barack also remained for his photo ops for the world to see~

Seriously everyone, i think he was just trying to be polite by not walking out in the middle of it. Clearly, he was uncomfortable with the whole speech. Still, he was polite enough to shake the guy's hand before he left. This is what any person with a good conscience would do.

Had this happened with the current US President and he shook his so-called ENEMY'S hand, there would be conservative-christians screaming to high HEAVEN!

Didn't it happen when President Obama shook Chavez's hand? Yeah...that's what I thought...Blonde seemed to be screaming the LOUDEST! Which is it blonde...can only the people YOU deem worthy be cordial to someone with differing views?

Obviously you chose to skip over some of my comments connie.....the meetings are no comparison! + the Pope is meeting w/ world leaders thru the guidance of the Holy Spirit & much prayer for the sake of peaceful resolve. Barack Obama met w/ world leaders w/ out showing any signs of disapproval or reprimand when they spewed their hatred about America. hmm.. I seriously wonder if he even prayed @ all prior to goin' overseas?! You meet w/ your enemies from a position of strength as the Pope did...NOT from a position of weakness filled w/ a litany of apologies for the Nation you are a leader of...very dangerous! Again no comparison between the Pope & Obama! Nite n' day~

quote~

Hugo Chavez & Daniel Ortega vehemently voiced a litany of hatred toward the United States of America.....I certainly did not see Barack Obama get up & walk out to show his sign of disgust & disapproval!To the contrary he remained & chatted smilingly w/ both Communists as if they were long lost friends, Della! And Barack also remained for his photo ops for the world to see~

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